Crib closures



Sheet Ill J. J. FINLEY CRIB CLQSURES Feb. 25, 1969 Filed March 27, 1967 ATTORNEY FIG.4

J. J. FiNLEY CRIB CLOSURES Feb 25, 1969 Sheet 3 of2 Filed March 27, 1967 FIG.8

INVENTOR.

JERRY J FINLEY ATTORNEY United States Patent Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE My invention relates to a closure device for open top childrens cribs and includes a frame adapted to be attached to the upper frame of the crib; a member hingedly attached to said first mentioned frame and being biased in normally open position, said last mentioned member being an open frame covered with a resilient netting.

In childrens hospitals and clinics, it is necessary to place small children in cribs to restrain and protect them from falling out of bed. This is particularly true after surgery. Such small children do not fully understand the necessity of remaining in bed and therefore some form of physical restraint is necessary.

The usual or standard crib consists of a mattress upon which the child is placed, a head and foot board, usually of solid material, and front and back, usually of slatted construction. The front, back and head and foot boards extend upwardly from the mattress whereby a child placed therein is enclosed and restrained. The slatted front is usually moveably mounted on rails or guides so that it can be moved upwardly and locked into place or downwardly to permit easy access to the child or the interior of the crib.

It has been found necessary in most cases to place some form of restraint over the top of such cribs because frequently children become restless and try to climb out of the crib. In post operative cases, this could result in serious injury to the child.

The usual practice heretofore adopted by most hospital nurseries has been to tie a fish-net type of material over the top of the crib. Such material is advantageous because it is relatively soft and therefore cannot injury the child. There are, however, several disadvantages. Tying and untying the netting is time consuming and requires the use of two hands.

It has frequently been found necessary to cut the netting loose in cases of medical emergency. The ideal type of closure requires that it permit immediate access to the child. One of the objects of my invention is to provide a closure for the top of cribs which permits easy and immediate access to the interior of the crib in the event of emergency.

The fish-net type closure now in use has the further disadvantage that a nurse or attendant cannot open it or gain access to the interior while holding a tray of medication or 'food in one hand. In other words, it has been found necessary to set the tray of medication down so that both hands are free to untie and remove the netting. In crowded nurseries such is not always possible.

A further object of my invention is to provide a closure device for cribs which includes an easily operable means for opening with one hand while holding a tray of medication, a child or food in the other hand.

Other forms of closures are known to the art which permit one handed and relatively rapid opening. Such prior devices usually take the form of a sliding plastic top of rigid construction. These prior art devices present a danger of injury to a child. In the event that a child stands up suddently after cranial surgery, serious injury can result from striking a rigid cover.

3,428,971 Patented Feb. 25, 1969 It is also a further object of my invention to provide a closure for cribs which is flexible and cannot injure a child regardless of how rapidly the child stands up against it.

A further disadvantage of such sliding prior art devices lies in the inability to place the crib against a wall, or in close quarters. A still further object of my invention is to provide a closure member for cribs which can be opened and used in relatively crowded quarters and which per mits placing cribs against walls.

In any childrens hospital or clinic, it is necessary to provide facilities for care of children with communicable diseases. After a crib has been used for care of a child with a communicable disease, the crib must be completely sterilized. It is preferable to dispose of as much of the bed and bedding as economics permits.

It is also among the objects of my invention to a crib closure which is easily removeable for sterilization and having a disposable netting which is easily and economically replaceable.

The foregoing objects and advantages and other and further objects and advantages will become readily apparent from the drawings and the description thereof.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an end elevation of a closure device embodying my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a back elevation of the device shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation of the device shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is an end elevation showing the closure member in partial open position.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3.

FIGURE 6 is a partial sectional view taken on line 66 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken at 88 on FIGURE 7 showing the details of securing a removable netting.

Referring more specifically to the drawings I have provided a mounting frame designated generally with the numeral 10 adapted to be removably secured to the upper edges of a childs crib. The mounting frame 10 is composed of a longitudinal, or back frame member 11 and end frame members 12 and 13 secured together by any suitable means to form a substantially U-shaped frame having an open front.

I have found it advantageous to omit any frame member joining side members 12 and 13 at the front so that when the closure member is in open position and the side of the crib is lowered, there is a completely free, and unobstructed access to the crib.

In order to removably secure the device to a crib, I have provided a plurality of spaced clamping members, designated generally by the numeral 16 in FIGURES 1 to 4.

Each of said clamps comprises a generally L-shaped bracket 17 secured at spaced intervals to the end members 12 and 13 by means of spot welding, riveting or other suitable means. It will be noted that the bracket 17 has an upper portion 17a which extends upwardly beyond the upper edge of members 12 and 13 the reason for which will become apparent later.

A vise jaw 18 is threadedly disposed through the base of the L-shaped bracket 17 and is provided with a handle 19. The vise jaw 18 is adapted to be disposed under a rail or bar 20 of a crib and to grip the bar against the under surface of the frame members 12 and 13.

My invention is also provided with a closure frame designated generally 22 hingedly attached at the back to the mounting frame by means of hinges 23.

Although I have not shown the details of the hinges 23, I prefer that they be spring loaded and biased to open position to permit the closure frame to open itself as shown in FIGURE 4 when the latching mechanism (to be described later) is released.

The closure frame 22 includes an outer frame of generally rectangular shape and composed of front and back 24 and 25 and end members 26 and 27. I prefer forming the frame members 24, 25, 26 and 27 of square tubular stock as shown in FIGURE 6. Such construction makes a relatively light weight but rigid frame.

The frame 22 also includes a netting retainer frame having front and back members 39 and 31 and end members 32 and 33. The retainer frame is generally rectangular and is frictionally disposed inside of frame 22 as seen in FIGURE 8.

The frame members 30, 31, 32 and 33 are formed generally L-shaped having a horizontal top 34 and depending leg 35. The depending leg '35 is punched to form an inwardly extending tab 36.

A netting material such as 37 is stretched over the frame member 32 and under the horizontal portion 34 and is engaged by the tab 36. The retainer frame is then forced into the frame 22 so that the netting 37 is pulled tight and securely held in place.

Means for releasably securing the frame 32 in closed position is provided and comprises a release knob 40 and a pair of latching members 41 and 42.

As was previously explained, the frame member 25 is formed of square tubular material. The latching members 41 and 42 are attached to the underside of frame member 25 and so positioned with respect to mounting frame members 12 and 13 that the bolts 43 and 44 respectively engage keeper holes 45 and 46 formed in frame members 12 and 13.

A pin 47 is secured to each bolt 43 and 44 and extends upwardly into frame member 25, through an elongated slot 48. The release knob 40 is provided with a depending shaft 50 formed with an aperture 51. A cable 52 extends through the aperture 51 and is connected to each of the pins 47. Thus it will be seen that rotation of the knob 40 causes the cable 52 to shorten and withdraw the bolts 43 and 44 from the keepers 45 and 46. The spring loading of the hinges 23 then causes the frame 22 to open to a predetermined position.

Whereas, I have illustrated and described my invention in what I consider its most preferred embodiment, other and further modifications can be incorporated without departing from the spirit of my invention. The true scope of my invention is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

I. In a childs crib having front, back and end panels extending upwardly above the bed portion thereof, means for closing the open top thereof, said closure means comprising: a mounting frame adapted for abutting engagement against the upper edges of the back and end panels of said crib; clamping means secured to said frame adjacent each end for removably fastening said frame to the end panels of said crib; and a closure frame disposed in overlying relation to said mounting frame and having hinge means for hingedly securing said closure frame to said mounting frame, said closure frame comprising an outer frame member, an inner frame member in frictional telescopic engagement with said outer frame and a resilient netting material having its peripheral edges removably secured in frictional engagement between said inner and outer frame members.

2. A closure means as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hinge means hingedly connecting the mounting frame and closure frame is provided with biasing means adapted to bias the closure frame into open position.

3. A closure means as set forth in claim 2 wherein the closure frame is provided with latching means adapted to engage the mounting frame to latch the closure frame in closed position against the bias of said hinge means.

4. A closure means as set forth in claim 1 having the clamping means extend upwardly beyond the mounting frame to thereby form guides for the closure frame in closed position.

5. A closure means as set forth in claim 3 having the clamping means extend upwardly beyond the mounting frame to thereby form guides for the closure frame in closed position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,624,467 4/1927 Boardman 5-97 X 3,145,396 8/1964 Zindell 597 3,344,442 10/1967 Andrews et a1. 5100 3,345,653 10/1967 Mixon 597 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 593 

